A treasure trove of amazing, brand-name fashion items and accessories at deeply discounted prices has just opened up in Ridgewood, and it’s becoming a true destination in the community.
Jenny Badillo opened Ridgewood Treasures at 1808 Weirfield St., just off Myrtle Avenue, six weeks ago with the novel idea to make it a consignment shop.
As a consignment store, Badillo allows residents to use Ridgewood Treasures to sell their own clean, lightly used — and often brand-new — items to other people of the neighborhood which benefits not only Badillo, her store, and the original owner, but gives new life to something that was destined for the garbage pile or donation bin and allows the buyer to get a great deal on some otherwise expensive products.
“I opened the store with the saying ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ So they bring in the stuff they no longer use or no longer need. I tell the ladies to bring in the gifts their ex-boyfriends gave to them,” Badillo joked. “It allows everybody to make a few dollars and clean out their closets. It makes other people be able to purchase things they couldn’t afford at a much better rate because everything here is basically 60 percent off retail rate.”
In order to become a consigning member of Ridgewood Treasures you just need to pay a $10 fee, which allows participants to leave up to 10 items at the store at a time for a total of 60 days. Badillo researches the items and lets the owner know how much she will sell it for, and then the item hits the shelves.
When the item sells, the previous owner makes 60 percent of the profit and Badillo takes a 40 percent cut. And, if the owner decides they want to spend their newly earned cash at Ridgewood Treasures, Badillo gives them an added 10 percent off.
“It encourages people to purchase from each other,” Badillo said. “It’s a really neat concept. And you will find some amazing things.”
In the short amount of time Ridgewood Treasures has been open, Badillo already has 25 consigning members. And the best part about having consigning members, Badillo said, is that they are advertising the store by telling people about the shop to hopefully get someone to come in and buy their items.
With having other people sell their items, Ridgewood Treasures is full of unique items that customers wouldn’t find anywhere else. There is usually only one of each item for sale so when something is a fit, people usually snatch it up right away.
The popularity of the store and the rarity of the items that come through her doors have allowed Badillo to create a layaway program so people can make a down payment on an item and pay it off over time.
“I tell people clothing makes you feel good and it gives you a sense of self-confidence. And you see them with such pride with the nice silk shirt they just bought or the bag they have over their arm. You feel good as a business owner knowing other people feel good. I feel satisfaction knowing that people got their money’s worth and got a really good deal when they leave my shop.”
Badillo knows a thing or two about running a business in Ridgewood. She’s also the co-owner of the International Boxing & Fitness gym, located down the road at 953C Cypress Ave., and she enjoys having two businesses in Ridgewood.
For more information about Ridgewood Treasures, visit the shop at 1808 Weirfield St., which is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. To see some of the items the shop on sale, check out their Instagram page and their Facebook page.
